northern nevada by the dozen

Discover a cornucopia of Cowboy Country events you won’t want to miss.

By NEVADA MAGAZINE | May/June 2011

Photo: Bruce Rettig (Human-Powered Speed Challenge)

MAY

BLACK ROCK RENDEZVOUS
Nevada’s Black Rock Desert draws tens of thousands of adventure seekers annually. While most come for the Labor Day Weekend counterculture festival Burning Man, others prefer to experience the desert in its natural form: quiet, austere, and hauntingly beautiful. The Black Rock Rendezvous, May 28-29, is a chance for people to get acquainted with this rare natural gem with those who know it best, the conservation group Friends of Black Rock High Rock. The weekend includes workshops, guided trips, conservation projects, a bicycle race, and kids camp. Participants are asked to be prepared for the Leave No Trace event and bring their own food and water. blackrockrendezvous.org, 775-557-2900

JUNE

CRESCENT VALLEY FOUNDERS FUN DAY
Like the residents of many small towns across America, Nevadans have a lot of pride in their communities. Crescent Valley Founders Fun Day, June 11, is a celebration of Eureka County’s second-largest community (the largest is Eureka), established in April 1959. Event highlights include a parade, barbecue, horseshoe competition, and pig chase. co.eureka.nv.us, 775-468-0326

JUNE

LAMOILLE COUNTRY FAIR
More than 6,000 people and 100 vendors attended the Lamoille Country Fair in 2010, and this year’s event promises to deliver the same rural charm that drew them. The fair, June 26, takes place in and around Lamoille Grove, the town’s amiable central park. Vendors offer items ranging from original artwork, jewelry, and crafts to treats including homemade lemonade. The event, sponsored by the Lamoille Woman’s Club, is free and includes a community tractor drive. lamoillewomansclub.org, 775-385-3502

JUNE & JULY

WINNEMUCCA & ELKO BASQUE FESTIVALS
Northern Nevada is home to the largest population of Basque people in the country. The descendants of early 20th-century sheepherders keep the traditions of the old country alive with events that celebrate the music, culture, athletes, and food of the Old Country. The Winnemucca Basque Festival, June 11-12, includes a parade, authentic sheepherder’s picnic, and traditional dancing at the town’s convention center. The National Basque Festival in Elko, July 1-3, also includes a parade, food, and folk dancing, as well as traditional Basque tests of strength including wood chopping, weight lifting, and tug-of-war.
winnemucca.com, 800-962-2638
exploreelko.com, 800-248-3556

AUGUST

JARBIDGE DAYS
What the tiny town of Jarbidge lacks in size—only about 20 people live there year-round—it more than makes up for with spirited events such as Jarbidge Days, August 12-14. The annual celebration of the 102-year-old town’s founding includes a craft fair, community yard sale, guided tours, kids activities, live music, a parade, and free food. jarbidge.org, 877-626-9269 x.650

AUGUST

SPEED WEEK
Speed Week on the Bonneville Salt Flats east of West Wendover can satiate any need for speed. The annual event, August 13-19, is a celebration of all things fast, from motorcycles and souped-up roadsters to modified big rigs and rockets on wheels. Visitors are welcome to set up day camps (overnight camping is prohibited on the salt) to view the races and can walk through the pits to look at the vehicles and talk to drivers and crewmembers. scta-bni.org, 559-528-6279

SEPTEMBER

HUMAN-POWERED SPEED CHALLENGE
Nevada is home to an abundance of vehicle races. Fossil fuels power the competitors at events such as Speed Week on the Bonneville Salt Flats and Lund’s Nevada Open Road Challenge, but Battle Mountain’s Human-Powered Speed Challenge relies solely on pedal-power. The event, September 12-17, features specially made bikes with aerodynamic shells capable of reaching speeds in excess of 80 mph on flat State Route 305.ihpva.org, 707-443-8261

OCTOBER

HALLOWEEN PIG FEED
Another of Jarbidge’s lively events is the annual Halloween Pig Feed and costume party. Hosted by the Outdoor Inn, the All Hallows’ Eve festivities include a pig roast, raffle, bake auction, and costume party on October 29. jarbidge.org, 877-626-9269 x.650

NOVEMBER

CHARLIE NANNINI INVITATIONAL CHARIOT RACES
If the words “chariot races” conjure up images of Roman gladiators, you might want to scale back such impressions when considering the annual Charlie Nannini Invitational Chariot Races in Wells. The family-friendly event, November 19-20, provides plenty of competition among the 20-30 drivers and horses that include thoroughbreds, quarter horses, and miniature horses. wellsnevada.com, 775-752-3540

DECEMBER

CHRISTMAS IN ELKO
December in Elko is chock full of holiday cheer, with a list of Christmas-themed events as bountiful as the Marley Family’s yuletide feast after Ebenezer Scrooge came to his senses. The Festival of Trees kicks off the celebration November 28-30, when groups and individuals decorate trees, wreaths, and other Christmas decorations to be auctioned off to benefit the community. Christmas in the Nighttime Skies, December 3, ignites Christmas cheer with a fireworks display set to holiday music, and the 35th annual Nurses Bazaar, December 3-4, features handmade crafts. The Snowflake Festival in downtown Elko, December 10, features family-friendly activities such as caroling, carriage rides, live entertainment, and Christmas-themed shopping. Finally, Santa at the (Northeastern Nevada) Museum, December 15-19, gives children—and children at heart—a chance to tell St. Nick what they hope to find in their stockings. exploreelko.com, 800-248-3556

FEBRUARY 2012

LOCK YOUR LOVE
Borrowing from an ancient Chinese tradition of adorning chains and fences along rural roads with locks symbolizing the eternal unity of people in love, the town of Lovelock’s Lovers Lock Plaza has attracted thousands of visitors since opening on Valentine’s Day 2006. Annually (including next year on February 14, 2012), couples flock to the town to symbolically lock their love. Numerous stores throughout the town offer special locks for sale, or visitors are welcome to bring their own. loverslock.com, 775-273-7213

APRIL 2012

SPRING CREEK RANCH RODEO
One of the Elko area’s most attended rodeos, Spring Creek’s Ranch Rodeo, April 14-15, 2012, takes place at northeastern Nevada’s most impressive equestrian center. The Spring Creek Horse Palace, opened in 1973, includes a 1,500-seat, 65,000-square-foot indoor arena, lighted outdoor arena, boarding and showing facilities, and a bar and coffee shop. The facility hosts numerous other equine-related events throughout the year, plus the Elko Archery Club. springcreeknv.net, 775-753-6295